Picture spinning-top



-w. R. 0. McQUARRlE.

PICTURE SPINNING TOP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1920.

Patented Oct. 11; 1921'.

PATENT OFFl-CE.

WILLIAM R. nfivrcouanmnor BUFFALO, nnwYonK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' PICTURE SPINNING-TOP.

Patented Oct. 11, 1921.

Applicationfil ed February 14,1920. Serial No. 358,636.

To allwhomz'tmay concern: 7 g

Be it known that L'WILLIAMR. D. Mo- QUARRIE, a citizen of'theiUnited States,

residing at Buffalo, county of Erie, and

State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Picture Spinning-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to spinning tops and i particularly to that class thereof wherein the top is adapted to be spun on a fixed pivot. lates to a top of the class mentioned equipped with means for producing'optical illusions.

The object of myinvention is to provide a top of theclass mentioned equipped with pictures so arranged that the objects therein shall appear to be in motion.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device as mentioned which shall'be of low cost to manufacture. Other objects will appear hereinafter. H I p I I With these objects in view my invention consists generally in a top comprising a rotatable member andpictures supported .thereonand arranged to come into view successively as the member is rotated, the objects in "the pictures being represented in different "pastiche so as to produce the illusion of motion in said objects as the, top is rotated. f

My invention further consists in a device as mentioned further characterized by an arrangement of the pictures. so that each succeeding picture'will act as ashutter to cut off the view of the picture receding from the point of vision. My invention further consists in a device as mentionedof such construction that the pictures are removable, to the end that various picture's may besubstituted one for the other. My invention further consists in a top comprising a rotary sheet metal disk, picture holders struck up from said disk and a pivot for said rotary disk. My invention further consists in various details of construction and arrangements of parts, all as will be fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specifica-' tion and in which,

Figure 1, is a side elevation of a to embodying my invention, the same eing More specifically my invention re of Fig. 2,

-'-Fig. 2, is a plan view of the device,

Fig; 3, is a'detailed plan view of the supporting element of the rotary member be- I fore being bent into shape,

Fig. 1, is a perspective view of the same after having been bent intov shape,

Fig. 5, is a perspective view of the-portion by whichthe top is rotated,

Fig. 6, is a detailed section on the line 66 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 7, is a detailed section on the lin 7- -7 of Fig. 1, and Y i Fig. 8 is a detail ofthe pictures.

Referring now'to the drawings, the top comprises a fixed portion 11, and a rotary portion 12. The portion 11 may be ofany "preferred form. As shown in thedrawing it comprises a base 13 and agverticalpin 1 1 terminating in a pointed end 15'. The member 12 comprises a disk 16 formed of sheet metal and preferably provided with a weighted periphery 17. '18 indicates the supporting element of the rotary member.

This consists of a cruciform structure comprising, a plurality of arms 19, terminating in tongues 20. The'members 18 may be stamped of a single piece, or may be formed of two strips crossed and secured together in any suitable manner. At the center of the intersection of thea'rms, the member18 is provided with an indentation orrecess 21 to receive the point 15. The arms 19 are bent downwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 4; of the drawings, and the tongues 20 areinserted through slots 22 in the disk l6'andthen bent to secure the same thereto. The center of the disk 16 is pro vided with an opening 23 to-permit member 14 to pass therethrough. Fixed to the top of member 18 is an actuating piece 24. This preferably consists of a knurled cylindrical member having tongues 25 on its lower end which extend through slots 26 in the member 18,- and which are bent under to secure the device in position. It is obvious that by placing the rotary member on fixed pivot with the point 15 in the recess 21, the top may be readily spun by turning the element 24 between the thumb and forefinger.

Picture holders are provided on the rotar member 12. These are preferably struck up from the disk 16, as shown in the drawings, As shown therein, a substantially recbroken away on substantially the line 11 tangular portion 27 is bent upwardly and provided at its side with tongues 28 and 29 which are bent upon opposite sides of the portion 27 to serve as means for holding pictures upon both sides of the same. Similar tongues 30 are struck up from the bottom thereof upon which the picture may rest. It is obvious that the tongues 30 need only project upon one side of the plate 27, as the disk itself serves as a rest for the bottom edge of the picture on the opposite side of the plate. This construction provides an arrangement whereby the pictures may be readily slipped into position upon both sides of each of the plates 27. I preferably. construct this so that the plates 27 are arranged substantially radially on the disk 16.

31 indicates the pictures which may be provided in strips 32 as shown, the strips being scored as at 33 between the several pictures to facilitate separating the same.

As shown in the drawings, the picture is such as to represent a boy chasing a cat. The strip comprises a number of pictures of the boy equal to the number of plates 27, and a corresponding number of pictures of the cat. The pictures of the boy are arranged upon the same side of each of the plates and the pictures of the cat upon the opposite side thereof. Each picture presents the object in a different position so that when the device is rotated the illusion will be produced of motion in the objects. It will be noted that I have illustrated the boy with but one leg and the cat with but two legs. This is advantageous on account of the rapid rotation of the top, as it thereby reduces apparent speed of the motion of the objects, and makes the apparent motion more dis tinct. It will be also noted that as the top rotates the picture extending more directly toward the observer will serve as a shutter by passing from in front of the picture coming into view on one side and then cutting off the view of the picture receding from View on the other side.

I claim:

1. In a spinning top, a rotatable member, a plurality of radially disposed vertical holders thereon, means for supporting pictures on both faces of said holders, the pic tures and holders constituting shutters, substantially as described.

2. In a spinning top a rotatable member comprising a sheet metal disk and supportingmember therefor, picture holders struck up from said disk of substantially the same size as-the pictures to be used and'means for holding different pictures upon opposite sides of said holder, substantially as described.

A device as set forth in claim 2 in which the picturei holding devices are radially disposed. substantially as described.

i. In an optical illusion device, a plurality of pictures and means for bringing said pictures successively into view, said pictures in cluding objects having members represented in successive positions, and the movable members of said. objects being reduced be low the normal number, as and for the purpose specified.

5.'A device of the class described, comprising a vertical pivot member and rotatable member comprising a disk having a centered aperture, a support comprising an end member indented to receive the upper end of the pivot and a plurality of depending arms, thelower ends of said arms be ing secured to said disk, substantially as de scribed. r

6. A device as set forthin claim 5, in which said supporting element comprises a cruciform member, substantially as described.

7. A device as set forth in claim 5, in combination with means fixed to the upper end of the supporting means to facilitate rotating the device, substantially as described.

8. A device as set forth in claim 5, in combination with picture holders struck up from said disk, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

WILLIAM R. D. McQUARRIE.

Witnesses:

R. D. WILLLIAMs, ,F, A. WIL IAMS, 

